Pressure relief control valve

ABSTRACT

A pressure control relief valve to regulate the pressure in a fluid conduit disposed between a high pressure source and a low pressure receiving device including a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a slidably mounted valve means disposed within the valve body between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the slidably mounted valve means being operable in relation to the pressure applied by an adjusting means on one side and the pressure of the fluid passing into the body from the fluid inlet on the opposite side, the setting of the adjusting means being such that the fluid will not pass through the valve unless it exceeds the preset pressure exerted on the slidable valve means by the adjusting means.

United States Patent 1 Garamy [111 3,747,635 1 1 Jul 24, 1973 [73]Assignee: American Air Filter Company, Inc'.,

Louisville, Ky.

[22] Filed: May 25, 1972 [2]] App]. No.: 256,741

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1955 Mercier l37/539.5 X2/l947 Parker 137/5395 Field of Search 137/5395 Primary Examiner Haro ldW. We akley Attorney- Ralph B. Brick, Charles (3. Lamb et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A pressure control relief valve to regulate the pressurein a fluid conduit disposed between a high pressure source and a lowpressure receiving device including a valve body having a fluid inletand a fluid outlet with a slidably mounted valve means disposed withinthe valve body between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, theslidably mounted valve means being operable in relation to the pressureapplied by an adjusting means on one side and the pressure of the fluidpassing into the body from the fluid inlet on the opposite side, thesetting of the adjusting means being such that the fluid will not passthrough the valve unless it exceeds the preset pressure exerted on theslidable valve means by the adjusting means.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PRESSURE RELIEF CONTROL VALVE BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to a pressure control relief valveand more particularly to a pressure control relief valve which iscompact and which is arranged so that all of the working parts may beremoved and replaced without disconnecting the body of the valve from aconduit carrying fluid to and away from the valve.

Pressure relief valves of the prior art generally comprise a springloaded valve member which is seated upon a valve seat wherein the valvemember is subject to movement away from the valve seat when the pressurein a fluid conduit system exceeds the pressure exerted by thecounteracting spring seating force. When this occurs, the valve opensand the fluid from the fluid conduit system flows through the valve seatopening until the fluid conduit system pressure is reduced to less thanthe pressure exerted by the valve spring thereby seating the valvemember closing off the opening in the valve seat. Most of the valvespresently in use for relieving the pressure in a fluid conduit systemare expensive, require a relatively large space for assembly; and, whenin need of repair must be removed from the fluid conduit system.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION present invention is straightforward, easy tofabricate,

assemble and disassemble, and is highly effective.

Various other features of the present invention will become obvious tothose skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure as set forthhereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides a pressure controlrelief valve to control flow of fluid from a high pressure source to alow pressure receiving device comprising: a valve body including a fluidinlet and a fluid outlet witha chamber disposed therebetween; a valvecylinder having a plurality of openings therein, at least one openingbeing in communication with the inlet and at least one opening incommunication with the outlet, the cylinder being disposed in thechamber, the cylinder having a valve seat with an axial opening thereindisposed between the inlet and the outlet openings and adaptable forreceiving a slidably mounted valve means thereon, the slidably mountedvalve means including a valve ball of generally the same diameter as theinner bore of the valve cylinder and adapted to be slidably mountedtherein for engagement with the valve seat for closing off the, axialopening, the valve ball having a flat edge thereon, the flat edge beingopposite the portion of the valve ball engaging with the valve seat andadaptable for independent communication with a valve disc of generallythe same diameter as the inner bore of the valve cylinder and adapted tobe slidably mounted therein, the valve disc being in communication withadjusting means; and, the adjusting means being adaptable forcommunicating with the valve means to adjust the resisting pressureofthe valve means whereby flow of fluid through the valve is controlledby the pressure exerted by the adjusting means on the valve means.

It is to be understood that the description of the ex ample of thepresent invention given hereinafter is not by way of limitation and thatvarious modifications within the scope of the present invention willoccur to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forthhereinafter.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressure control relief valve of thepresent invention with selected portions cutaway; and,

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a valve of FIG. 1 including a fluid flowconduit system.

As shown, a valve body 1 is provided with an outlet port 2 thereinpassing through one wall of the valve body 1 and communicating with avalve chamber 10,

and inlet ports 3a, 3b, and 30, each of these ports passing through.walls of the valve body 1 communicating with each other and the valvechamber 10.

The ports 2 and 3a, 3b, and 3c are threaded for receiving conduits 40, 41, 42, and 43 (FIG. 2), respectively therein, these conduits being incommunication with, for example, other conduits for fluid flow therein,pressure indicators, and the like. Valve body 1 is furtherprovided witha bore 18 forreceiving adjusting means and slidably mounted valve meanstherein, the slidably mounted valve means being in communication withthe adjusting means and operable in response to the setting of theadjusting means. The bore 18 includes a threaded portion 25 therein forreceiving the adjusting means, the adjusting means including springhousing 16 adaptable for being received by and engagement with thethreaded portion 25, a spring 14 to be received within the housing 16,and an adjusting member 22 adapted to mate with the spring 14.

Bore 18 at its inward extremity includes the valve chamber 10, valvechamber 10 being disposed adjacent the threaded portion 25 and adaptablefor receiving valve cylinder 5 therein, valve cylinder 5 being open ateach end and having a channel portion 20 extending around the outerperiphery thereof with a plurality of passageways therethrough, twobeing shown and identifiable by numerals 6a and 6b. Fluid passingthrough the inlet opening, identifiable by numeral 15 of the valvecylinder 5 escapes from cylinder 5 through the passageways 6a and 6binto channel 20 and out of the valve through outlet port 2. Valvecylinder 5 also includes an O-ring 28 disposed around the outerperiphery of the cylinder 5 for fluid tight communication with the wallsof valve chamber 10.

Disposed between the openings 6a and 6b in the valve cylinder 5 and theopening 15 is a valve seat 4 having an axial opening therein forreceiving the slidably mounted valve means thereon, the slidably mountedvalve means including valve ball 7 and valve disc 9. Valve ball 7 isadaptable for fluid tight engagement with the axial opening of valveseat 4 and slidable movement in the valve cylinder 5 thereby controllingthe flow of fluid therethrough. Valve seat 4 includes 0- ring 29disposed around the outer periphery thereof for fluid tightcommunication with the walls of the valve cylinder 5. i

The valve ball 7, of generally the same diameter as the inner bore ofthe valve cylinder 5, is provided with a flat edge 8, flat edge 8 beingopposite the portion'of the ball that engages with the axial opening inseat 4 and is adaptable for cooperation with a valve disc, 9. The valvedisc 9, of generally the same diameter as the inner bore of the valvecylinder 5, includes O-ring 11 disposed around the outer peripherythereof, O-ring 11 being a sealing member for maintaining valve disc 9in fluid tight communication with the inner walls of the valve cylinder5. Valve disc 9 further includes a longitudinally extending stem portion12 and receiving ledge 13 for alignment with and receipt of one end of aspring 14, spring 14 being provided to urge valve disc 9 and valve ball7 toward valve seat 4 to close off the valve cylinder opening 15.

A spring housing 16 having a threaded outer portion 17 for mating withthreaded portion 25 of bore 18 is provided to receive spring 14 therein.Spring housing 16 is further provided with a threaded bore portion 21for receiving an adjusting member 22 therein, adjusting member 22 havinga threaded portion 31 for engagement with the threaded bore 21.

Adjusting member 22 includes a longitudinally extending stem portion 27and receiving ledge 32 for alignment with and receipt of the oppositeend of the spring 14. Adjusting member 22 further includes a handle 26for rotation of the adjusting member 22 out of or into the springhousing 16. By rotation of the adjusting member 22, spring 14 is urgedtoward or released from cooperating valve disc 9.

A lock nut 19 is provided for communicating with the threaded portion 17of the spring housing 16 for preventing the spring housing from slackingback onceit is positioned in its preselected position. Further, a locknut 24 is provided to engage with the threaded portion 31 of adjustingmember 22 to prevent the adjusting member 22 also from slacking back.

It will be noted in the example shown, the valve can be easilydisassembled by removing the adjusting member 22 in the spring housing16 whereby valve cylinder 5, valve disc 9, and valve ball 7 may then beremoved from the valve chamber 10.

In FIG. 2, one example of the pressure control relief valve of thepresent invention in a fluid flow conduit system is schematicallyillustrated. Outlet port 2 having a threaded bore therein is connectedto a conduit 40, conduit 40 being a return conduit of fluid to highpressure flow conduit 45, conduit 45 being in communication with a highpressure fluid source. Port 30 having a threaded bore therein, isconnected to a pressure indicator 44 through conduit 43. Ports 3a and3b, also having threaded bores therein and being in communicativerelation therewith are connected to conduits 41 and 42 thereby allowingfor the passing of fluid through the valve body 1. Conduit 42 is also incommunication with conduit 45 for receiving fluid from a high pressuresource and conduit 41 is in communication with a low pressure receivingdevice.

In operation, adjusting member '22 is rotated inwardly urging spring 14against valve disc 9 exerting pressure on the valve ball 7 pressing thevalve ball 7 against the valve seat 4 thereby closing off the valvecylinder opening 15. The high pressure fluid is then allowed to passthrough the port 3b at full line pressure. Adjusting member 22 is thenrotated outwardly to release pressure on spring 14, in turn releasingvalve ball 7 from fluid tight communication with opening 15. As theadjusting member 22 is continued in its outward movement, pressure uponspring 14 is released and flow of fluid is initiated through opening 15and out through outlet 2. Adjusting member 22 is continued in itsoutward rotation until the desired pressure on the pressure indicator 44is obtained. Lock nut 24 is then adjusted downwardly until it meets withthe spring housing 16 thereby preventing the slacking back of theadjusting member 22 which in turn sets the pressure necessary toinitiate the flow of fluid through the valve.

It will be realized that various changes may be made to the specificembodiments shown and described without departing from the principlesand spirit of the present invention. 7

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure control relief valve to control flow of fluid from a highpressure source to a low pressure receiving device comprising: a valvebody including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a chamber disposedtherebetween; a valve cylinder having a plurality of openings therein,at least one opening being in communication with said inlet and at leastone opening in communication with said outlet, said cylinder beingdisposed in said chamber, said cylinder having a valve seat with' anaxial opening therein disposed between said inlet and said outletopenings and adaptable for receiving a slidably mounted valve meansthereon, said slidably mounted valve means including a valve ball ofgenerally the same diameter as the inner bore of said valve cylinder andadapted to be slidably mounted therein for engagement with said valveseat for closing off said axial opening, said valve ball having a flatedge thereon, said flat edge being opposite the portion of said valveball engaging with said valve seat and adaptable for independentcommunication with a valve disc of generally the same diameter as saidinner bore of said valve cylinder and adapted to be slidably mountedtherein, said valve disc being in communication with adjusting means;and, said adjusting means being adaptable for communicating with saidvalve means to adjust the resisting pressure of said valve means wherebyflow of fluid through said valve is controlled by the pressure exertedby said adjusting means on said valve means.

2. The pressure control relief valve of claim 1, said adjusting meansincluding an adjusting member adaptable for communication with a spring,said spring being biased between said adjusting member and said valvemeans whereby movement of said adjusting member determines the pressureon said valve means.

a: u k

1. A pressure control relief valve to control flow of fluid from a higHpressure source to a low pressure receiving device comprising: a valvebody including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a chamber disposedtherebetween; a valve cylinder having a plurality of openings therein,at least one opening being in communication with said inlet and at leastone opening in communication with said outlet, said cylinder beingdisposed in said chamber, said cylinder having a valve seat with anaxial opening therein disposed between said inlet and said outletopenings and adaptable for receiving a slidably mounted valve meansthereon, said slidably mounted valve means including a valve ball ofgenerally the same diameter as the inner bore of said valve cylinder andadapted to be slidably mounted therein for engagement with said valveseat for closing off said axial opening, said valve ball having a flatedge thereon, said flat edge being opposite the portion of said valveball engaging with said valve seat and adaptable for independentcommunication with a valve disc of generally the same diameter as saidinner bore of said valve cylinder and adapted to be slidably mountedtherein, said valve disc being in communication with adjusting means;and, said adjusting means being adaptable for communicating with saidvalve means to adjust the resisting pressure of said valve means wherebyflow of fluid through said valve is controlled by the pressure exertedby said adjusting means on said valve means.
 2. The pressure controlrelief valve of claim 1, said adjusting means including an adjustingmember adaptable for communication with a spring, said spring beingbiased between said adjusting member and said valve means wherebymovement of said adjusting member determines the pressure on said valvemeans.